1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waterproof case for containing a portable device such as a digital camera, a video camera, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistance (PDA), etc.
2. Discussion of the Background
When using a portable device including a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel contained in a waterproof case, a user inputs operational instructions for the portable device with a touch of the LCD panel by use of forgers or by use of a pen through the waterproof case. In the waterproof case, because the LCD panel of the portable device is typically recessed, a cover of the waterproof case needs to cover the LCD panel so as to bring the LCD panel into tight contact with a part of the waterproof case corresponding to the LCD panel in a recessed direction of the LCD panel.
FIG. 10 illustrates a schematic perspective view of a waterproof case and a portable device according to a background art. Referring to FIG. 10, in a waterproof case 100, a rear cover 102 is hingedly mounted on a case body 101, and opens and closes a rear opening of the case body 101. A portable device 120 such as a digital camera including an LCD panel 121 and operation switches 122 is inserted into the case body 101 of the waterproof case 100 through the rear opening of the case body 101 by opening the rear cover 102. After the portable device 120 is inserted into the case body 101, the rear cover 102 is closed so that the waterproof case 100 is watertight. The rear cover 102 of the waterproof case 100 includes a transparent member 102a at a position corresponding to the LCD panel 121 of the portable device 120 contained in the waterproof case 100, and operation buttons 102b at positions corresponding to the operation switches 122 of the portable device 120.
The inserting direction of the portable device 120 is substantially the same as a recessed direction of the LCD panel 121 and a projecting direction of the operation switches 122. By closing the rear cover 102, the transparent member 102a and the operation buttons 102b arranged on an inner surface of the rear cover 102 are pressed against the LCD panel 121 and the operation switches 122 of the inserted portable device 120, respectively, in the inserting direction of the portable device 120. As a result, the transparent member 102a and the operation buttons 102b of the rear cover 102 are brought into tight contact with the LCD panel 121 and the operation switches 122 of the inserted portable device 120, respectively.
In the above-described background waterproof case 100 in which the inserting direction of the portable device 120 is substantially the same as the recessed direction of the LCD panel 121 and the projecting direction of the operation switches 122, there are concerns (1)–(3) as follows.
Because the rear cover 102 of the waterproof case 100 which covers a relatively wide surface of the portable device 120 is relatively large, a peripheral length of an O-ring (not shown) provided around the periphery of the rear cover 102 for maintaining the watertightness of the waterproof case 100 becomes relatively long. In this case, the secure waterproofness of the waterproof case 100 may be hard to obtain.
Because the rear cover 102 of the waterproof case 100 is relatively large, the rear cover 102 may tend to be deformed due to water pressure. The deformation of the rear cover 102 may result in water leakage.
Generally, a portable device having the above-described layout of the portable device 120 includes a cover for an electric battery or a cover for a compact flash (CF) card or a personal computer memory card (PC) that opens and closes in a direction perpendicular to a recessed direction of an LCD panel and a projecting direction of operation switches. For example, the portable device 120 includes a cover 123 for electric battery and a cover 124 for a CF card or a PC card at a left side surface of the portable device 120 in FIG. 10. When the waterproof case 100 contains the portable device 120, the cover 123 for electric battery and the cover 124 for a CF card or a PC card may not open and close unless the portable device 120 is removed from the waterproof case 100.